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Sports Media Packet
PNC Field and several local college and high school venues will host four major events designed to showcase the basketball and baseball talents of athletes from our region and along the Northeast Coast this Spring and Summer.
Details of the events were announced at a press conference on Wednesday, May 1, at 11 AM at PNC Field by the Lackawanna County Commissioners Jim Wansacz, Corey D. O’Brien and Patrick M. O’Malley along with Max Saidman of Hoop Group, Tom Sclafani of Black Diamond Championships, Jeremy Ruby of the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders, Tracy Barone of the Lackawanna County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Merle Mackin from the Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“These events substantiate the fact that we are not only a sports community, but take a great deal of interest in the growth and development of our youth and young adults,” said Commissioner Jim Wansacz. “PNC Field is the ideal spot for a high school All Star Game. We want to showcase this magnificent facility and share it with everyone. We want to schedule more events like this at PNC Field and also have more tournaments to bring families into our community and enjoy our quality of life amenities.”
“The basketball tournaments and baseball game are great opportunities for our area. They will provide a tremendous economic boost for our hotels, restaurants and stores and also provide the teams and their families with a glimpse of our rich heritage and proud traditions,” explained Commissioner Corey D. O’Brien.
“We are thrilled to host these events. It gives us a chance to “show off” our community. It is activities like these that help to attract future recreational, economic development and leisure opportunities,” noted Commissioner Patrick M. O’Malley.
The “Junior Elite Jam Fest” will start things off with games running from May 31 to June 2 at a number of high school and college locations. This AAU sanctioned tourney is open to all boys ages 10 – 14 years old. Event organizers expect 75 – 130 teams from all over the Northeast coast to register.
Pricing information and other details can be obtained by visiting www.hoopgroup.com.
The “Field of Dreams Game” will showcase the baseball talents of seniors from the Lackawanna League and the Wyoming Valley Conference.
The all star contest will be held on Sunday, June 2, at 1 PM at PNC Field. It is being sponsored by the Lackawanna County Commissioners, Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders, and the Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties Convention & Visitors Bureaus.
The end of June will be the time for the ladies from our area and the Northeast corridor to shine during the “Black Diamond Championships.”
The AAU tournament is open to girls ages 10 – 18 and will be conducted from June 28 – 30 at several locations throughout the community.
The event, according to tourney organizer Tom Sclafani, promises to be a tremendous opportunity for recruiting. Several coaches from Division II and III will be attending.
Information on the “Black Diamond Championships” can be found at www.blackdiamondchampionships.com.
On August 2, 3 and 4, the annual “3 on 3” Basketball Tournament will return for another year in Downtown Scranton. This Lackawanna County basketball tradition returned to central city amid rave reviews in 2012 and promises to only get bigger and better in 2013. The event will again be located in the 100-200 blocks of Wyoming Avenue, and it is expected to bring over 5,000 people into the Electric City.
